00:00With the sun shining, many of us are looking to get outside, but for those in wheelchairs
00:06this isn't as simple. Joanne Dello has been living with a neurological condition for four years
00:12and she's now taking on a wheelchair challenge to raise awareness about accessibility.
00:17For me personally, I'm doing it for people that I know are no longer able to get out.
00:23So for us it's very, very important to actually get out, embrace the nature, just embrace people and society.
00:32But there's a lot of people that can no longer do that and that's the cruelty of neurological disease.
00:39Heading along the Great Stow Way, the group want to show that many parts of the countryside remain inaccessible.
00:46Kissing gates like this one are a common feature on countryside walks,
00:51but for people in wheelchairs, especially if they're out by themselves,
00:56these gates can be a real barrier to accessing more rural areas.
01:00They can be opened with a radar key, a universal key which unlocks public disabled toilets and,
01:07sometimes, kissing gates. But the group say obstacles like these don't start in the countryside,
01:13but actually from the moment wheelchair users leave their houses.
01:17It's not just the connection in the countryside, it's how you actually get there as well.
01:23So it's thinking about what amenities are there, is there disabled toilets, disabled parking,
01:28is it easy to actually get from people's homes out into these green spaces?
01:33However, they say that some of the measures put in place to improve accessibility don't necessarily work.
01:39People tend to put slopes in for accessibility, but they don't actually take into account
01:48that certain chairs can only do a certain level of gradient,
01:52so it actually becomes more hazardous than not having one at all.
01:56Despite these challenges, the group still wants to empower others to get outside.
02:01You can do things just as well as others. Yes, it can be a challenge, but take it up. It's
02:10well worth it.
02:11They're fundraising for the Kent Neurotherapy Centre, a charity which supports people with various
02:17neurological conditions. And as they make their way along the banks of the River Stour,
02:23the group are keen to show that the Garden of England should be accessible to everyone.
02:28Sophie Denny for KMTV in Canterbury.
